Published 7:00 pm, Wednesday, December 28, 2005

The Saginaw Spirit just completed a 10-day Christmas break - a break that was well-deserved.

The Spirit head into the second half of the season with a 19-14-0-0 record. Saginaw has already eclipsed the team record for wins in a season - and there are still 35 games to play.

Despite Wednesday's 4-3 loss to Erie, the Spirit are in second place in the OHL's West Division and sixth in the Western Conference.

Last season, the Spirit posted a record of 18-42-4-4. It marked the most wins for the team since moving from North Bay three-plus years ago.

"I think it's experience," Spirit coach Bob Mancini said of the key to the first-half success. "Most of our (key) guys have played three years in the league minimum, which is huge."

Mancini has made a habit of turning around struggling programs. He took over losing college programs at both Michigan Tech and Ferris State and turned them into playoff contenders.

"It starts with attitude," Mancini said. "Getting rid of the jerks. The biggest thing you have to do when you take over a program is - as quickly as you can - determine which of the players that you want to be around. Which of the players that want to be players and go from there. It's tough because sometimes you have to get rid of good players."

The first half of the season has provided plenty of highlights.

 The Spirit picked up their first win of the season on Sept. 23 with a 10-7 win over defending Memorial Cup champion London. The Spirit were 0-4 last season against the Knights.

 The Spirit put together an eight-game winning streak from Oct. 15 to Nov. 5.

 Goaltender Ryan Daniels won his first eight decisions and was selected as the OHL's Goaltender of the Month for October.

 The Spirit won for the first time ever in Sault Ste. Marie with a 2-1 win over the Greyhounds on Oct. 26.

 Saginaw has won six road games, which matches its total for all of last year. This year, the Spirit are 6-8 away from home, while last year they were 6-25-1-2.

"The second most important thing for the first half of the season was the character and leadership in that locker room," Mancini said. "They all get along."

Team leaders

Ryan McDonough leads the Spirit in goals (20) and points (48). Patrick McNeill leads the team in assists with 29 and in plus/minus with a plus-22. Scott Fletcher has a team-high 113 penalty minutes, while Jesse Gimblett leads the team in shorthanded goals with two.

Approaching a record

Patrick Asselin scored a pair of goals last Friday against Mississauga and again Saturday against Owen Sound. Asselin has six multiple-goal games this season, which is two short of the team record held by Nick Lees in 2003-04.

World Junior update

Spirit forward Tom Pyatt scored a goal for Canada in a 4-3 win over Switzerland at the World Junior Championships on Wednesday in Vancouver. Canada is 2-0 in the tournament.

Michal Birner has played in two games for the Czech Republic and has yet to score.